CompTIA Server+ Certification Exam Practice Test
Server administration involves keeping computing systems available, secure, and recoverable. This practice bank touches on operational tasks such as checking network connectivity, managing Linux startup and filesystem settings, protecting data at rest, and handling server hardware changes. It also includes scenarios about authentication controls, certificate validity, data sanitization, and verifying that backups can restore needed files.
Exam overview
About the CompTIA Server+ Certification Exam
Server operations require administrators to connect symptoms to the right diagnostic or recovery action. Network checks may distinguish basic reachability from whether a particular TCP service port accepts connections. Hardware decisions involve redundancy, such as separate power supplies, while storage work can require preserving encryption access during component replacement. Linux administration includes controlling services through systemd and defining persistent filesystem mounts. Security and continuity tasks include limiting repeated login attempts, checking system time when clients reject certificates as not yet valid, and sanitizing retired drives. Backup planning is incomplete without recovery testing; file-level restore capabilities can also help recover deleted or changed data without reverting an entire server.
Sample Practice Questions
Review a selection from this exam's published US Practice Tests practice bank.
An administrator needs to confirm that a newly installed server can communicate with a remote service over TCP, including whether the remote port is reachable. Which type of test is most suitable?
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Correct answer: AA TCP connection test to the destination address and port checks whether a connection can be established at the transport layer, helping distinguish port reachability from basic host availability.
A server's power supply has failed, and the system has a second hot-swappable power supply connected to a separate suitable power source. What is the main benefit of this arrangement?
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Correct answer: ARedundant power supplies can maintain power to a server when one supply fails, provided the remaining supply and power path are adequate. Hot-swap support can allow replacement without shutting down, subject to vendor guidance.
A server application should start automatically after the operating system boots on a systemd-based Linux distribution. Which mechanism is most directly used to manage that startup behavior?
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Correct answer: AA systemd service unit describes how a service is managed, and enabling the unit configures it to start automatically according to its dependencies and target. Shell aliases and login-session variables do not provide system-wide service startup.
A server is being retired, and its drives contained sensitive customer information. Which action best helps prevent recovery of that data before the hardware leaves the organization?
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Correct answer: BApproved media sanitization, such as verified secure erasure or physical destruction when required, is designed to make data unrecoverable. Deleting accounts, renaming a volume, or merely disconnecting drives does not remove the data.
A Linux server must make a filesystem available at a directory path after startup. Which configuration commonly specifies filesystems to mount automatically?
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Correct answer: AOn many Linux distributions, /etc/fstab defines filesystems and mount options, including filesystems to mount during startup. The other files are used for hostname mappings, privilege rules, and DNS resolver settings.
A server's internal storage is encrypted, and the organization needs to ensure data remains accessible after a hardware replacement. Which preparation is most important?
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Correct answer: AEncrypted data may be inaccessible without the correct recovery key or key-management access. Safeguarding and verifying access to recovery material before hardware changes helps prevent loss of data access.
A server’s application data must be protected against accidental deletion, and administrators need to restore an earlier version of a file without rolling back the entire server. Which capability is most directly useful?
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Correct answer: AFile-level backup and versioning allow recovery of a particular file or earlier version without requiring a full-system restore.
How to use this practice test
The free US Practice Tests bank contains 50 published questions, with up to 20 randomly selected for a practice session. Answer the scenarios, then use the results shown after the session to identify which server tasks need further review, such as Linux configuration, storage protection, or recovery validation.
Preparation tips
- Practice distinguishing a TCP port reachability check from a general connectivity check; identify the remote service and port before choosing a test.
- On a Linux test system, configure a systemd service to start at boot and create a persistent filesystem mount using /etc/fstab; verify both after a restart.
- Compare server data-protection methods by recovery scope: test restoring one file, validating a backup, and securely sanitizing a retired drive.
- For encrypted storage replacement scenarios, record how recovery keys or other required encryption credentials will remain available before changing hardware.
- When troubleshooting certificate errors, check system clock synchronization and time zone settings alongside the certificate's validity dates.